Hitching-post.



' PATENTBD PEB. 12, 1907.

B. R. LONG. HITCHING POST. 'APPLIoATIoN FILED oom. 1906.

A NOR/v5 V5 rus Mamas PEfL-Rscv.. wAsNlNaroN. D. c.

BURTON R. LONG, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

HlTCHlNG-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed October 2, 1906. Serial No. 337,093.

To A1f/ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, BURTON R. LONG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, haveinvented anew and useful Hitching-Post, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to a hitchingpost of that type in whichthe post proper is adapted when not in use to be contained 1n a socketor housingsunk in the sidewalk, curb, or roadway, so as not to presentan obstruc tion.

The invention has for one of its objetos to provide a hitching -post ofthis character which is of simple construction and capable of easy andreliable operation.

A further object is the employment, in connection with a weightedhitching-strap mounted within the hollow of the post, of a simple andeflicient means for automatically holding the strap in itsfully-drawn-out position against the action of the weight tending toreturn the same.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hinged cover forthe socket or housing in which the post proper is mounted, which coveris provided with a locking means whereby only authorized persons can usethe hitching-post, thus rendering the hitchingpost especially adaptedfor use in private residences and other similar places where the rightto the use of the post is to be restricted.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the invention comprises the variousnovel Jfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts, as will bemore fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in theclaims appended hereto.

In lthe accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the embodimentsof the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showingthe same when not in use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing thehitchingpost proper locked in its elevated position. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view of the upper end of the hitchingpost proper,drawn on an enlarged scale, and showing the hitching-strap in itsfully-extended position. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionalview showing the bitchingpost stored away in its housing, the upper endonly being shown.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body portion of the housing,which is preferably a galvanized-iron tubing or the like and having ahead 2 at its upper end forming an enlarged casing or chamber, the saidhead being threaded on the upper end of the tube 1 or otherwisesuitablysecured and also made of galvanized iron. The housing or socketis sunk in the sidewalk, curb, or roadway to such a depth as to placethe top of the head about flush with the sidewalk, and it may bedesirable to embed the housing in cement or concrete. The top of thehead is open for the purpose of permitting the hitching-post proper tobe raised and lowered in the housing, and this open end is adapted to beclosed by a cover 3, hingedly connected with the head at 4. The cover ispreferably provided witha lock 6, the bolt 7 of which is adapted toengage with a lip S or similar means on the inside of the head. Thekeyhole 9 of the lock is furnished with a plate 10, which excludes theentrance of dirt to the lock. The lock will be preferably of that typewhich will automatically lock when the cover is slammed closed. By thusfurnishing the cover with a lock the hitching-post is accessible onlyto.

authorized persons having a key for unlocking the hitching-post.

The hitching-post proper comprises a tubular member 11, which is fittedfor longitudinal movement within the tubular part 1 of the housing, andon the upper end of the member 11 is a removable cap 12, threaded orotherwise suitably secured thereto. The cap 12 on its top surface isequi ped with a ring 13 or other suitable handho d, by which the post isgripped for raising the same out of the housing or dropping it into thelatter. The hitching-post proper is supported in its elevated position by means of diametrically opposite lugs or pins 14, which engage in lonegitudinally-extending slots or ways 15 in the tubular member 1 of thehousing, the pins 14 being arranged on the inner tubular member 11. Theupper ends of the slots 15 are open laterally at 16 and terminate inpockets 17. In other words, the ways in which thepins travel are each inthe shape of an inverted L. By this means the pins 14 ass upwardlythrough the slots 15 as the hitching-post is elevated, and after theupper ends of the slots and passes under the same.

are reached the bitching-post is given a partial rotary movement so asto engage the pins in the pockets 17, thereby locking the hitching-postin its raised position.

The hitching-strap ,18, which may be of leather, woven wire, or of anyother substantial material, is arranged to be drawn in and out of thehitching-post, a weight 19 being attached to the inner end. To the upperor outer end of the hitching-strap is secured a spring-snap 20, adaptedlor attachment to the bridle of the harness. The strap passes through aslot 2 1 in the cap 12 of the hitchingpost proper, which slot is of suchsize as to prevent the snap from passing through when the strap is drawnin by the weight. The snap thus serves as a stop for suspending thestrap in its indrawn position. In the cap 12 is arranged a roller 22,over which the hitching-strap moves. Arranged in cooperative relationwith the roller and bearing on the hitching-strap is a detent 23, thesame being journaled in the cap 12 on the side of the strap o positefrom the roller and inclined upwar ly with respect to the latter, sothat the upper free end 24 ofthe detent is prevented from falling pastthe roller by the roller itself-that is to say, that the arrangement issuch that the free end of the detent is free to move upwardly, but isincapable of falling past the roller. Adjacent the lower end oi thehitching-strap is secured a stop 25, which at the time the strap isalmost entirely withdrawn engages the free end 24; of the detent A'lterthe stop has traveled by the detent the latter falls by gravity andcatches in back of the stop, and thereby revents the hitching-strap fromdrawing back into the hitching-post proper under the iniiuence of theweight 19. The detent 23 is provided. with a releasing device in thenature of a crank 26, Fig. 2, by which the detent can be raised so as torelease the stop 25 and permit the bitching-strap to move inwardly whenthe point is no longer to be used. Thus by turning the crank 26 thedetent 23 is moved to the dotted-line position, Fig. 3, andthehitching-strap is indrawn until the rsnap arrests the movement by comingto the position shown in Fig. 2. The snap is next placed in the positionshown in Fig. 4, so as to permit the hitching-post proper to be droppedinto the housing. To do this, the hitching-post proper is raisedsuliciently to lift the pins 14 out ofthe pocket 17, and then by givingthe post a partial turn, so as to bring the pins in alinement with theslots 15, the post can be dro ped into its closed position. The stop 25o* the hitching-strap is large enough to revent its being pulled out ofthe slot 21 an by means of the same coming in contact with the cap 12the outward movement of the stra is limited.

Since the hitc ing-strap 18, roller 22, and

detent 23 are supported on the cap 12, they can be removed from the postwith the cap whenever desired. By this means a new strap can be readilysubstituted, or anv other necessary repairs made when required.

l have described the principle of operation of the invention, togetherwith the apparatus which l now consider to be the best embodimentthereof, but l desire to have its understood that the apparatus shown ismerely illustrative, and that various changes may be made when desiredare within the 'scope of the invention.

l/Vhat l claim is- 1. In a device of the class described, thecombination of a stationary housing, a post mounted for verticalmovement therein, a hitching-strap arranged within the post and adaptedto be drawn therefrom, means on the strap for drawing the same into thepost, a stop on the strap arranged to prevent the latter from beingcompletely withdrawn from the post, and a detent mounted in the post andarranged to engage the said stop to hold the strap in its normaloperative position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a post havinga slot at its upper end, a hitching-strap movable through the slot, aweight on one end oi the strap tending to draw the latter into the post,a snap on the outer end of the strap forming the sole means Vforpreventing the strap from passing completely into the post, a stop onthe strap for limiting its outward movement, and a gravity-acting detentarranged in the path oi' the stop and. adapted to engage behind thesaine for preventing the weight from drawing the strap into the post.

ln a device of the class described, the

. combination of a post having a slot at its upper end, a hitching-strapmovable through the slot, means on the inner end of the strap tending tomaintain the strap within the post, a fastening device on the oppositeend of the strap which limits the inward movement of the latter, aroller arranged to guide the movement oi" the strap, a detent pivoted atone side ol the roller and inclined upwardly over the same in coperativerelation with the strap, and a stop on the strap whichnear the outwardlimit of the movement of the strap engages and passes by the detent topermit the latter to interlock behind the stop.

4l. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a post, aremovable cap thereon having a slot, a strap arranged within the postand movable through the slot, a weight on the inner end of the strap, afastening device on the outer end of the strap which limits the inwardmovement of the latter and normally suspends the same on the cap, aroller arranged in the cap and removable therewith for guiding the moveIOO IOS

ment of the strap, a detent pivoted within l In testimony that I Claimthe foregoing as the cap and removable therewith which is my own I havehereto aixed my signature arranged in coperative relation with the inthe presence of two witnesses.

strap, and a stop on the strap arranged to be BURTON R. LONG. engaged bythe detent for preventing the Witnesses:

strap from moving inwardly under the action JOI-IN D. LONG,

ot' the said weight. MYRTLE F, LONG.

